1. Field
The following disclosure relates broadly to supports having retention elements for use on a mattress where the supports can be used for relieving or avoiding the development of pressure ulcers. More particularly, the disclosure relates to supports that are easily arranged and deployed for the avoidance of heel ulcers and sacral decubitus, and methods of using the same.
2. State of the Art
In settings such as rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and nursing homes, patients are frequently bedridden. Bedridden patients, the elderly, and anyone else whose mobility is highly limited often develop foot, leg, and back ulcers due to poor blood circulation resulting from narrowed arteries and damage to small blood vessels caused by diseases such as long-standing diabetes, and by the sheer weight of portions of the body on the bed. Ulcers are breaks in the layers of the skin that fail to heal due to poor circulation and regeneration of tissue, and often progress in these patients. Pressure ulcers can lead to gangrene and complications thereof. Treatment of such ulcers can also be very costly.
Reducing the extent of contact between the back and buttocks of a patient and a mattress can help to prevent onset of sacral decubitus in the sacral region and can assist the patient's body in healing in the sacral area. Also, reducing the extent of contact between the heel and a mattress can help prevent onset of pressure ulcers in the heel region and can assist the patient's heel in healing.